Disciple Together

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11

I’ve always admired those who could recite scripture, or even remotely identify where a passage was located.

Up until about 3 years ago, I was not one of those people. I was dismally hopeless, although I desired to be better!

That all changed when I learned a few ‘happy habits’ as I like to call them with my kids. 

The first insight came as I enrolled my oldest into Wee College, a multi-year bible study program designed for 4 – 6-year-olds. This was during COVID and the class was offered online, so I needed to be present with my son, since he was only 4 at the time. 

As I participated alongside him, I started to memorize the scriptures and sign language, and the books of the Bible! By the end of the 8-month program, I was able to internalize them quite readily. But what really struck me was my husband reciting these same scriptures because he had enrolled in Wee College when he was young! Repetition at that early age ensured these critical truths stuck with him all his life!

The following year, my next child entered the program and I was able to review and renew my memory verses with relative ease.

But it wasn’t until I came across Elizabeth Elliot’s scripture memory system that I realized I could learn to commit God’s word to heart for the long term.

Her method sounds complex, but in reality is quite simple once set up. This short video will help explain it in detail. 

The tools required are a recipe box, recipe cards, and 41 dividing cards, labeled as follows:

• Daily
• Odd
• Even
• Monday through Sunday (One day per divider)
• Days of the month, 1 – 31 (One day per divider)

If you’re starting from absolute scratch, and you’ve never committed a verse to memory, choose one (John 3:16 could be a good start) and write it out on a recipe card, along with the reference.

This will go into your daily section. Keep only one card here at all times.

Once you’re more comfortable with that verse, move it to either Odd or Even, and choose another verse to memorize. That new verse now becomes your Daily verse, while the Odd or Even one only gets reviewed on odd or even days, accordingly.

Again, keep only one card in each of the Odd and Even spots at all times. Once you have enough cards, you can begin to move them from the Odd / Even spaces to the days of the week spaces, keeping only one card at any time for each day of the week. 

Finally, once you have enough scriptures to fill the days of the week, the odd / even days and the daily spot, then transfer your most well-known scripture to the first date of the month. These spots will (eventually) have more than one card. They become the final resting place for all of your scripture cards, so that you continue to review each scripture at minimum on a monthly basis.  

Reviewing your scripture should take less than 5 minutes per day – yes, seriously. Even with 3 fidgety boys, our scripture memory time doesn’t take that long. But it is incredible to me how small bits of time can be used so effectively to glorify God in our home!

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15-16

Most importantly, choose a time and place where you will remember to practice this new happy habit (and be sure to place your scripture memory box nearby!) We do ours immediately following dinner each night, because eating together has always been a priority.

"Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:15-16

"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11

"These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Deuteronomy 6:6-7

"Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." Joshua 1:8

"Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart." Proverbs 7:2-3

Why this matters

Too many people claim to follow Christ, but simply don’t know Him, or the word of God. When we claim to follow Jesus but we aren’t actually reading about Him, we’re more likely following our idea about Him. That idea comes from whatever source you are listening to and reading. If that source isn’t the Bible, then it’s likely incorrect and incomplete. 

Memorizing scripture ensures that you’re reading scripture, and also gives you time and space to meditate on that word. It allows God to bring scripture to your mind when He wants to encourage you, or have you encourage others.